Field of Class: 252/301.4R: 428/690; 53/396
The present invention is the ability to capture previous known light emitting inorganic materials, such as glow-in-the-dark phosphorous type materials including, but not limited to, long-persistent glow materials made from rare earth elements (i.e. “glow materials”), in such ways as to provide a light source sufficient to light-up an area or room, such as a bedroom, bathroom or tent in such a manner for the occupants to have sufficient light to see their surroundings for long periods of time, for example lasting all night and provide in non-enclosed dark areas a position locator with sufficient brightness and time length not previously achieved by prior art. The present invention creates a new light source by capturing/placing large (i.e. 0.5 mm to 10.0 mm) “glow material” crystals in many forms such as incorporation into various polymer matrixes; wherein the matrix is sufficient in thickness to incorporate the aforementioned large “glow material” crystal sizes. Such polymer matrixes can be poured, extruded, molded or casted into various shapes including, but not limited to flat panels, tubes or other shapes. The present invention also encompasses the use of such large “glow material” crystals within containers, such as tubes, trays etc. that are pre-formed or may include liquid or cured polymers and solutions filled within such containers that are not detrimental to the “glow materials”. The present invention further includes the packaging of the inorganic “glow materials” in such sizes/amounts and in such manner as vacuum packaging to make a further embodiment of the invention novel and in each case provide the utility of a new functional light source.
Prior use of the light emitting inorganic materials have been constrained by manufacturing methods and therefore uses of same, such that the amount of visible light produced is considered short-term, such as emergency exit identification panels (lasting minutes to a few hours), nor are there present methods providing a flexible, easy-to-carry, and light-weight use of the light emitting inorganic materials.
Prior art has developed many uses of the inorganic glow materials using typical manufacturing methods. The use of glow-in-the-dark crystals have been incorporated into wrist watch dial faces, panels, such as acrylic panels (e.g. typically 1-10 mm in thickness), wherein the “glow materials” (typically 50 microns or less) are encapsulated and then printed upon for identification safety signage for use during power outages in enclosed building stairwells. Other uses involving cast panels or shapes have been to make glow-in-the-dark star and moon shapes to place upon one's bedroom ceiling. Additionally there have been several uses of glow-in-the-dark crystals (typically less then 5 microns in size) in paints that are sprayed onto a surface to create a glow effect. It is also well known by those using long persistent “glow material” crystals in the manufacturing of parts, that the crystals are high in density and therefore difficult to utilize in large sizes (usually above 50 microns) when one attempts to make panels or spray paints or even rolled-on paint, as the larger crystals tend to settle quickly and not allow equal and uniform dispersion within the coating or panel. Likewise using large crystals (0.5 mm and above) in an injection molding process is also not practical or achievable as the crystals are very abrasive to the tooling utilized for the injection molded part and attempting to load the injection pellets with large amounts of “glow material” crystals by a percentage of weight of the total part, such as over 25% by weight, will not make the part's integrity useable for the application intended, even when using smaller micron sized particles. Current glow-in-the-dark injected molded parts, such as toys, necklaces, etc. utilize the small micron sized particles (usually 50 microns or less and not exceeding 20% by weight). Other uses of inorganic “glow material” crystals have been to extrude within flexible vinyl for special effect glow promotion banners, yet these are limited in actual light output as compared to the present invention due to the use of the smaller “glow material” crystals when the banner is manufactured, nor does such design give area or room light for extended periods of time as compared to the present invention. Likewise thin film coatings using “glow material” type crystals within fluorescent light tubes are limited to very small size (e.g. 4-5 microns) so as not to block the light emitting from the tubes; and therefore only providing short-term (minutes) exit safety lighting.